Russia will not back a European draft resolution at the UN Security Council imposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak said on Friday.

"We will not support the present version (of the draft resolution)," Kislyak was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying. The draft resolution "requires major fine-tuning," he added.

The draft UN Security Council resolution, tabled by Britain, France and Germany, seeks to punish Iran for its defiance of a UN demand it halt uranium enrichment activities.

Kislyak's comments were the latest in a series of Moscow's criticisms of the text.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday the draft resolution would isolate Iran and goes far beyond the framework of agreements among the six major nations that have offered Iran an incentives package to persuade Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment.

The United States is seeking to impose sanctions on Iran through the UN Security Council on the grounds that Tehran is developing a nuclear-weapons program under the garb of a civilian-use program. Iran, however, says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Tehran has said that it wants talks with the major nations, but will not suspend its nuclear work as a prerequisite.